Year End Mania is the Key’s survey of the things below the surface that made 2013 awesome. In this installment, our trusted reporter Kate Bracaglia talks Philly tunes.

Living in Philadelphia, I’m always blown away by how many amazing artists there are right in our back yard, crafting tunes capable of filling many, many carefully curated playlists. 2013 was no exception. There were so many great songs released this year that picking just five was really tough. And so—in support of all the unsigned and DIY bands out there—I limited myself to tunes that were self-released or on small indie labels (sorry Kurt Vile/Man Man/Purling Hiss). These are bands you might not have heard of yet, but who are very capable of becoming new faves. Happy 2013!

“Skeleton”—the second track off Bridge Underwater’s January 2013 EP, Dead Man—is a grungy, slightly morbid affair, but it’s also got a sweetness to it with lyrics like “I’m a skeleton man / With my skeleton hands / And I’m looking for love.” This bit of post-mortem romantic musings rocks you to your core with crunchy, aggressive guitars, and Patrick Mellon’s unhinged vocals. It’s the perfect for Halloween playlists, or anytime you’re feeling feisty.

Buried Beds’ Eliza Jones, filming the “Future Ghost” video

3. Buried Beds, “Future Ghost”

Buried Beds’ “Future Ghost” is a charming pop number that grows warmer and more encompassing as it continues, until you’re swaddled in a cocoon of warm guitars and singer/ keyboardist Eliza Jones’s floaty vocals. We spotlighted this tune during the band’s Unlocked series earlier this year, and it remains one of my very faves—not to mention the source for the sweet video you can watch below.

2. The Chairman Dances, “Prophetess (Narration)”

The Chairman Dances

If “Fragments of Time” is your fave song off the new Daft Punk record (like it is mine!), you’ll love “Prophetess (Narration),” a scintillating slice of indie pop from Philly “library band” The Chairman Dances. In an interview earlier this year, the band explained that the tune tells the story of a lost love who came back unexpectedly—and is augmented through Eric Krewson’s understated vocals and lively horns.

1. Night Panther, “Fever”

“Fever,” the insanely catchy standout single from Doylestown “sex pop” act Night Panther’s 2013 self-titled LP, is one of those tunes that feels both instantly familiar and refreshingly new.

Night Panther

It hearkens back to ‘70s disco and ‘80s new wave with swingy falsetto and a pulsing beat. I probably played this song more than any other local tune this year, and I will play it a million more times before the year is over, and maybe even sing the lyrics into my hairbrush.

]]>http://thekey.xpn.org/2013/12/20/the-keys-year-end-mania-kate-bracaglias-top-5-tunes-by-local-artists/feed/0Buried Beds get animated in “Children of the Sea” videohttp://thekey.xpn.org/2013/10/21/buried-beds-get-animated-in-children-of-the-sea-video/
http://thekey.xpn.org/2013/10/21/buried-beds-get-animated-in-children-of-the-sea-video/#respondMon, 21 Oct 2013 18:40:50 +0000http://thekey.xpn.org/?p=100416Continued]]>Philadelphia natives Buried Beds extend the fairy tale concept behind their latest EP, In Spirit, in their new video for “Children of the Sea”. The video draws on themes of childhood curiosity, mythical creatures, and powers of the sea. Ultimately, Buried Beds prove that dream-pop and animation are a match made in fantasy heaven.

Buried Beds offered up a free download of “Oh Lonely Fortress!” this week for their Unlocked profile. The song comes from the local band’s new LP In Spirit, an album that “was inspired by both fairy tales and fantastical real-life events.” Download the track below and dig into the new album with a review, interview, new video and more here.

Mean Lady, an electro-pop band that draws from a potpourri of influences, recorded this week’s Key Studio Session. The duo comes from Newark, DE and released their debut LP Love Now on Fat Possum earlier this year. stream and download “One Big Family” below and check out the rest of the set, including some new songs, here.

There aren’t very many recordings available from newish Philly outfit Avery Rosewater, so whenever the four-piece indie pop / rockers put something new out it’s a reason to celebrate. This week the band shared a new song called “Two Bridges” in anticipation of their upcoming tape release, out through Treetop Sorbet Recordings later this Fall. Download the song below and see them live at Boot & Saddle on October 6th.

Travelling bard Vikesh Kapoor made time during a busy Make Music Philly Day to record a striking session for Folkadelphia. The Philadelphia native, now living in Portland, OR, is set to release his debut LP The Ballad of Willy Robbins on October 15th. Stream and download “Carry Me Home” below and get the full session here.

XPN will welcomes Amos Lee to the Tower Theatre on November 27th following the release of his Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song full-length. The singer-songwriter has partnered with NoiseTrade to share a free download of “Chill In the Air” off of the new record, which features Alison Krauss on backing vocals. The download is free, but 100% of the tips donated will go to Musicians On Call, a program that Lee has supported since WXPN started the local chapter.

]]>http://thekey.xpn.org/2013/09/28/the-weeks-best-free-mp3s-incl-amos-lee-vikesh-kapoor-mean-lady/feed/0Unlocked: Buried Beds share their recipe for Slammin Apple Muffinzhttp://thekey.xpn.org/2013/09/27/unlocked-buried-beds-share-their-recipe-for-slammin-apple-muffinz/
http://thekey.xpn.org/2013/09/27/unlocked-buried-beds-share-their-recipe-for-slammin-apple-muffinz/#respondFri, 27 Sep 2013 18:00:17 +0000http://thekey.xpn.org/?p=97100Continued]]>While chatting with Buried Beds about their influences and inspiration the other week (see Thursday’s interview, here), Brandon and Eliza let slip a very interesting secret. It turns out that the band harbors secret baking aspirations…and has even dreamed of one day hosting their owning cooking show! These aspirations, at one point, led the band to film their own cooking segment, an experience the band describes as universally disastrous.

It all went down several years ago, in the era of flip cameras (“I had this flip camera and I was like, ‘I can totally be a film maker!’” explains Beaver), and was derailed once the band started drinking partway through. Beaver describes the harrowing events with glee. “We even had a performance in the middle of it,” he continues. “We were like, ‘Buried Beds will now perform!’ It was one of the most embarrassing things I’ve ever seen. At one point I pick up a trumpet and start playing trumpet—I’m like, what am I doing? Terrible.”

The footage from that night will never see the light of day again…but to satiate curious minds, Beaver and Jones put together a newcooking segment, featuring Jones’s favorite recipe for Slammin Apple Muffinz. Just look at how they nourish a hungry Beaver!

This concludes our Unlocked series on Buried BedsIn Spirit, out this week. Revisit the past week’s worth of posts, including Monday’s song download, Tuesday’s record review, Wednesday’s music video premiere, and Thursday’s interview and stay tuned for more Unlocked—our monthly spotlight of new and notable releases from local artists—here.

Philly rockers Buried Beds might write tunes about lonely fortresses (see our song download, Monday)—but when it comes to their real relationships with the city and the scene, a lonely fortress is about the furthest thing from their experiences.

“The musical part of this city is so great, and so supportive,” says singer-guitarist Brendon Beaver over coffee. “I think that has so much to do with why, after all these years, we’re still a band.”

His co-founder and songwriting partner, Eliza Jones, nods in agreement. “We’ve built our homes here, and that community around us is pretty amazing,” she adds.

Community is an important tenet for Buried Beds, influencing almost every aspect of their process—from songwriting, to live performances, to videos and touring. And while the band at its core is just Beaver and Jones—their vision is spurred a host of friends and other musicians. I caught up with the pair to parse out some of these influences—and to talk songwriting, evolution, and what’s coming up next for Buried Beds.

The past ten years have been quite the journey for Beaver and Jones, who grew up together and started making music collaboratively after moving in together post-college. “I think we both feel like we have two stages as band,” says Jones, explaining their storied history. Their first stage began in 2003 with their formation, and continued through the release of their debut record Empty Rooms in 2005—a stirring and lugubrious collection of tunes that helped the group make a name for themselves, but ultimately, felt misaligned with their musical goals.

“Eventually, the kind of music we were playing [back then] sort of lost its allure,” explains Jones. “It was very melancholic, and very beautiful—but that sort of melancholic aspect—we’re just not those kind of people.” She smiles, as if proving her own point. “And so it was hard to gear ourselves up for those performances, and to get excited about making a record.” She pauses. “And so I think…after a long period of that…we just decided to start making the kind of music we wanted to make.”

The kind of music theywanted to make was decidedly more rock-oriented, and since the switch, the band’s released three records of increasingly impressive compositions, including the brand new In Spirit.And while a whole host of different players have contributed throughout the years, Jones and Beaver view Buried Beds, ultimately, as themselves and violaist Hallie Sianni, who’s been playing with them through all iterations. “It’s always been the three of us,” says Beaver, “plus sort of a rotating cast.”

Honorary BB members throughout the years have included Nightlands’ Dave Hartley, mewithoutYou’s Greg Jehanian and Thomas Bendel, and Dr. Dog’s Eric Slick—plus Mary Lattimore, Daniel Hart, Tom Mallon, and countless others collaborators and inspirers. In addition, Beaver and Jones have both lent their expertise to a slew of different projects and records—which speaks to their embeddedness within the local scene.

Buried Beds, 2011

“I think the thing with all these projects is that they all naturally developed out of collaborations,” says Jones, who’s played with Nightlands, The Mural and the Mint, and The Citywide Specials, in addition to contributing to records by Man Man, Dr. Dog and mewithoutYou.

Beaver—who’s toured with mewithoutYou, and sings in the Silver Ages Choir, in addition to founding West Philly art-pop group Make a Rising—is in agreement. “I think it’s all about where your mind is,” he says. “Eliza and I prioritize being musicians. And it’s been a long road of trying to figure out what that means. Being a viable musician, you need to figure out ways to make money, and pay rent. And holding down a 9–5 is not a viable option if you’re in a touring band.”

Ultimately, the duo found that collaborations were a great way to fill in the gaps in their tour schedule, and earn some cash while Buried Beds was on hiatus. “But,” says Jones—“it’s not like we were specifically looking for projects that were busy when Buried Beds isn’t busy. These are people that we love, and people whose creative vision we’re excited about, and want to be a part of. We just feel lucky that we can sustain ourselves.”

Their experiences with other bands would eventually influence their own process in deep and meaningful ways.

For Beaver, the first momentous experience came while touring with Philly experimental punks mewithoutYou, who invited Buried Beds out on the road while still fledglings. “It was a really pivotal moment for us,” he says. “Just seeing them perform every night was like, ‘Oh my god! This is crazy.’ It was our first real involvement in this world, and we got addicted to it. Plus there were so many little things we didn’t have to figure out. That was really important.”

Jones nods. “In many ways, they gave us the ability to be ableto tour,” she says. “Because all of a sudden, we had a tour history. And we had ticket sales, and record sales, and all these things we could bring to other people who weren’t necessarily our best friends we had grown up with.” She grins.

mewithoutYou

Other memorable tours include opening for Dr. Dog, whose collaborative spirit the band found inspirational. “They’re really open guys, and very much like ‘Oh, come out at the end of this song!’” says Beaver, describing a nightly tour routine. “And we’d be like, ‘Oh, but we don’t know it.’ And they’d be like ‘whatever!’” He smiles. “I feel like that vibe really resonated with us. And that’s became a big part of how we interact too.”

For Jones, working with Michael Kiley’s The Mural and the Mint was a particularly resonant experience, that expanded her skills as a musician and a songwriter.

“The Mural and the Mint was one of the first projects I was involved in, and it was very interesting to me,” she says, recollecting. “In Buried Beds, for example, it’s our vision, and when it’s your own project, you write to your own strengths.” She pauses. “And having someone else tell you, ‘No, I need you to do this’—you’re sort of forced to figure out new ways to think about your instrument, and your voice. That first year touring with The Mural and the Mint—it really forced me to think about songwriting in different ways.”

The Mural and the Mint, featuring Jones

These myriad experiences all contributed to the making of new record In Spirit,one of their most stunning and cohesive releases yet (check out our full review of the record here.) A loose concept record inspired by fairy tales, gleaned from the Pantheon Regional Fairy Tale Collection,plus stories they’d read about in the news, or heard from friends and relatives, In Spirit marries the real with the fanciful in new and exciting ways.

The band will celebrate its release with a headlining show October 10 at Boot & Saddle, and is currently working on music videos for every song on the record. “It’s kind of like making another record,” says Jones with a laugh. They’re also planning a vinyl release and longer tour in early 2014.

So far, responses to the record have been positive—their first single, “Stars,” has nearly 7,000 plays on SoundCloud, and even earned the band a write-up on Pitchfork. Still, Buried Beds remain guardedly optimistic about whether this might lead to bigger things ahead.

“It’s very exciting,” says Beaver. “But honestly, we have no idea what to expect going forward. We’ve been a band long enough that we sort of take it in stride. We’re not putting too much stock in it.” He pauses. “We’re just focused on putting out a product that we really believe in, and really love, and that’s all that matters.”

You can’t argue with logic like that.

Buried Beds will celebrate In Spirit with a record release show on October 10 at Boot & Saddle. The 21+ show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $10; more information can be found on the venue’s website.

In Spirit is the featured album in this week’s edition of Unlocked. Download the single “Oh Lonely Fortress” in Monday’s post, read Tuesday’s album review; watch the video for “Future Ghost” in Wednesday post, and tune in again tomorrow for a very special surprise.